History

The roots of Ultimate can be traced to a group of teachers at International School in Kuala Lumpur (ISKL) in the early 2000’s who enjoyed a weekly game of pick-up among themselves. Before long, locals began to join in who in turn, began to recruit others. In 2004 Global Sports Partners (GSP) began to support the development of the sport with the manufacturing of a locally produced disc, MyDiscTM. The availability of a decent yet affordable disc worked in tandem with efforts by GSP to introduce the sport to a growing number of schools and universities as well as the organization of local tournaments beginning in 2005.

Since that time, the sport has mushroomed with a growing number of schools, universities as well as working adults enjoying both casual and competitive play. Certainly the presence of the internet, both Malaysia’s first site, www.ultimatemalaysia.com as well as other local sites which followed and instructional videos and examples of competitive play on YouTube were critical to the development of the sport. Facebook groups such as KLUltimate and NUTS (Northern Ultimate Tribes) and many others have also been instrumental in the development of the Ultimate network.

Today there are an estimated 30-40 clubs and teams actively playing the sport throughout East and West Malaysia representing well over 1000 players. Many more enjoy the sport on a more casual basis. Tournaments are held monthly at various locations throughout the nation including signature events such as the annual Malaysian Open and the Penang Hat which attract not only domestic competition but players/teams from throughout the region.

Certainly the Spirit of the Game (SOTG) – the heart of the sport – should be ultimatelycredited with the incredible growth of the sport. SOTG reminds all players “That while competitive play is encouraged, it is never at the expense of respect between players, adherence to the rules or the joy of play.” Surely the sport of Ultimate is far more than a sport, but is also making a valuable contribution to a stronger sense of commUNITY among all peoples of the nation. The best is yet to come!

For a more detailed history

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MALAYSIAN ULTIMATE TIMELINE

Please help us document the growth of Ultimate in Malaysia by submitting new entries or helping us with corrections when needed.

2000

ISKL teachers begin weekly pick-up in Ampang

2001

2002

2003

Visiting American students introduce Ultimate at UiTM Dungun

2004

First MyDiscTM manufactured by Global Sports Partners (GSP)

GSP organises clinics for teachers from more than 100 Selangor schools

GSP organises first Malaysian Ultimate competition at Bukit Jalil

In the summer of 1968, Joel Silver was introduced to a “frisbee football” type game while participating in an educational enrichment program at the Mount Hermon School in Northfield, Mass. After returning to Columbia High School in Maplewood, N.J., that fall, he got a motion passed at the student council to introduce Frisbee into the curriculum. Together with his friends Bernard “Buzzy” Hellring and Jonathan “Jonny” Hines, they got other students to play their new game and refined the rules, producing a written “first edition” of the rules for the sport Joel dubbed “Ultimate Frisbee” and naming their group the “Columbia High School Varsity Frisbee Squad” in early 1970.

The three classmates laid the foundation required to permit the transformation of a recreational activity into a sport over the following years. Ultimate today is still played largely according to the rules developed by Joel, Buzzy, and Jonny. Joel Silver is currently an accomplished Hollywood producer, producing dozens of films including the Lethal Weapon series, the first two Die Hard films, and The Matrix series. He is married to Karyn A. Fields, has one son, and currently lives in Burbank, Calif.

Jonny Hines, who founded the Princeton team and played in the first college game ever — the Rutgers-Princeton match-up played before more than 1,000 spectators in 1972, is now an international attorney splitting time between New York and Moscow. He is married to Olga Dyuzheva and has two sons. Tragically, Buzzy Hellring died in an automobile accident while returning to college at Princeton University in the spring of 1971.